A Rainbow in the Night

I finally read a nonfiction book that isn't about food! I ran across a review of A Rainbow in the Night by Dominique LaPierre in Booklist describing it as a "highly readable, detailed overview" of the history of South Africa. Since I know little to nothing about South Africa's history, this sounded like a good place to start. Booklist was right. It is a very readable overview of South Africa's history, from the first Dutch settlement through the end of apartheid and Nelson Mandela's election as president. Although there are a lot of details, LaPierre's writing style is easy to read. He includes many personal testimonies from key figures in this history, which makes it a much more enjoyable read than if it were just factual information. I'm so glad I read this book. Although I knew what apartheid was, I had no idea the extent to which it was taken and how horribly people's civil rights were violated. I also didn't realize the level of violence that occurred. Some of it was so gruesome it was difficult to read. This was a good introduction to South African history and should definitely be required reading.